Biscayne Bay Access Concerns Raised Again

North Biscayne Bay - photo from cyberangler.com article by Jan Stephen Maizler - see link at end

National Park Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Take Steps to Resolve Access to Biscayne National Park. Recreational boating and fishing community guardedly optimistic but firm on need for General Management Plan changes .

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 27, 2012 – Today, a coalition of national boating and fishing organizations, concerned with the long term health of and public access to Florida’s Biscayne National Park, sent a letter expressing appreciation for recent positive steps in the development of a General Management Plan for the park, but reiterated concerns about the potential to unnecessarily close large areas of the park to the public.

The coalition, comprised of the American Sportfishing Association, Center for Coastal Conservation, Coastal Conservation Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and the National Marine Manufacturers Association, is optimistic that a positive outcome is possible based on recent and ongoing discussions between the National Park Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in an effort to resolve differences and develop joint solutions for the park’s management plan.

Recently, the National Park Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released a joint agency statement which says, “Both agencies made progress to resolve differences and develop joint solutions. Discussions focused on the long term goals the park is trying to accomplish, as well as an analysis of possible management strategies for the proposed Marine Reserve Zone.” Read the full statement here.

In August 2011, Biscayne National Park officials released a draft management plan that proposed to close up to 20 percent of the park’s waters to fishing. The park’s preferred alternative included a 10,000-acre marine reserve, or no-fishing zone, despite recommendations from stakeholders and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that a marine reserve is overly restrictive. The coalition fully supports the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s longstanding position that less-restrictive management measures should be implemented in the park.

“As representatives of America’s leading recreational fishing and boating organizations, we are highly interested in the management of Biscayne National Park, one of the country's largest urban recreational fishing and boating areas. Biscayne National Park is a jewel in the national park system and helps support Florida’s $19 billion recreational fishing and boating economy and the associated 250,000 jobs,” the coalition stated in its letter.

This summer the National Park Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed to reengage in the General Management Plan development process. The coalition is hopeful that discussions between the National Park Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will result in a management plan that balances resource conservation with public access including adequate areas for fishing. However, the coalition is concerned that the recent statement indicates that a marine reserve zone remains in consideration as a possible management activity which would create excessive and unnecessary fishing and water access restrictions.

Coalition leaders offered these thoughts:

American Sportfishing AssociationMike Nussman, President and CEO “The sportfishing and boating community recognizes that there are management challenges facing Biscayne National Park, but simply excluding the public from accessing this public resource is not the appropriate way to address these challenges,” said Mike Nussman, president and CEO, American Sportfishing Association. “Unwarranted closures to public access will inevitably keep Americans from enjoying the great outdoors and diminish the economic benefit of sportfishing and boating to Florida's economy."

Center for Coastal ConservationJeff Angers, President“The onerous fishing closures proposed by Biscayne National Park officials are the latest in a disturbing trend of the National Park Service disregarding the importance of providing access to sportsmen on our nation's public lands and waters,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Coastal Conservation. “Park officials have the opportunity to steer this GMP process for Biscayne National Park in a fair, balanced direction; we urge them not to waste this opportunity.”

Coastal Conservation AssociationMichael Kennedy, Coastal Conservation Association Florida Chair Emeritus“If the National Park Service's goal is to improve the park's fisheries and habitat, we firmly believe that there are other, less restrictive options that could effectively rebuild and sustain the park's fisheries resources,” said Michael Kennedy, Coastal Conservation Association Florida Chair Emeritus. “The National Park Service should step back from the proposed marine reserve in the General Management Plan and continue to work with the FWC and local stakeholders to address these issues. Their proposed marine preserve is a fishery management tool which has no place in the GMP process. By slowing this process down and reviewing the variety of other tools available, we are confident that a plan can be reached that addresses the resource challenges in the park while still allowing the public to access the park’s waters.”

Congressional Sportsmen’s FoundationJeff Crane, President“Sportsmen contribute $3 billion to natural resource conservation annually,” said Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “Given the economic, social and conservation benefits of fishing, managers at Biscayne National Park should work to facilitate and promote recreational fishing access, not unnecessarily restrict it.”

National Marine Manufacturers AssociationThom Dammrich, President“Biscayne National Park is one of the busiest and most popular recreational marine parks in the United States and its access helps promote the $19 billion in recreational boat and angling sales that add 250,000 related jobs to Florida’s economy,” said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Boaters, anglers, Florida residents and the outdoor recreation industry can’t afford to sit idly by as detrimental management stalls not only visitor access to one of country’s most enjoyed waterways, but the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Floridians.”